The sleeveless hooded sweatshirt of New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has become a staple on the team's sideline through the years. It seems the distress of trying to win a Super Bowl is what spurred him to create an article of clothing that provides enough warmth to brave the harsh winters late in the year while not compromising any range of motion.
According to Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports, Belichick came up with the idea during the Patriots' win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX:
âBelichick was driven to distraction by his sleeves in the Patriots Super Bowl XXXIX win over the Eagles. Belichick was just fiddling and tugging and tucking until finally he rolled them up inside themselves. The next season, Belichick took action. In the fall of 2005, Belichick walked into the teamâs equipment room, laid a gray sweatshirt on a table and he then lobbed off both arms right below the elbow.â
âMy arms are too short,â Belichick reportedly told someone in the equipment room.
While comfortable, the look inspired by Belichick did not bring the Patriots very much luck in the playoffs.
Data compiled by Mike Dussault of Patriots.com shows that he is sporting a 65-26 record when wearing cut sleeves on either hoodies or plain sweatshirts. New England also lost all three of the Super Bowls that he coached with cut sleeves while going 1-2 in Conference Championships.
It is safe to say that Belichick has found himself in quite a conundrum when it comes to being comfortable during high-stakes games. Although he may not seem like the most superstitious person, it will be interesting to see just how often the sleeveless tops will be part of his attire now that the Patriots have ushered in a new era under center at quarterback.
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